American Armed Forces Radio No 31
GI JIVE Part 2
GI Jive was a 15-minute radio program
transmitted by the Armed Forces Radio Service for entertainment of soldiers in
World War II. Its initial frequency of five days per week later increased to
six days per week. It was included in the group of "programs proposed for
production on the AFRS's initial schedule". GI Jive differed from AFRS
programs like Command Performance and Mail Call in that it used a disc jockey
format, with someone playing popular recordings of the day. In contrast,
Command Performance and Mail Call transcribed live performances by popular
entertainers.
GI Jive
initially featured a guest DJ for each broadcast; some were civilian
celebrities, while others were servicemen. In May 1943, however, the format
changed to having one regular host, Martha Wilkerson, who was known on the air
as "GI Jill." Patrick Worley, in “This Is the American Forces
Network”, called Wilkerson "probably the most popular performer on AFRS,
and certainly the one who made the biggest impact on the troops'
morale." He summarized her appeal
as follows:
It was a simple
formula -- a collection of record requests, some cheerful banter from GI Jill,
and occasional interviews with celebrities such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra
and Dinah Shore. It was the personality of Jill that made the program. She had
a distinctive, charmingly reedy voice, and she was, to quote one listener,
"warm, affectionate, intimate. Perfect for homesick servicemen far from home."
To the GI she was the girl back home, and she had a nice homely touch.
He added:
The effect she
had on her listeners is summed up in this letter from a sergeant in the
Pacific: "Your cheerful voice does wonders to our morale. Tokyo Rose is
also on the air. It's as if two women of enemy countries were battling for
men's minds. I'm glad you're winning, Jill." She was sometimes referred to
as America's answer to Tokyo Rose and Axis Sally, but unlike those two ladies
there was never any hint of propaganda in any of her programs.
Wilkerson's
personal touch extended to replying to mail from soldiers. The GI Jive entry in
The Directory of the Armed Forces Radio Service Series noted, "She
attempted to answer each letter sent in and included a picture of
herself." In 1945, it was reported that Martha Wilkerson could boast of
receiving one-fourth of all the fan mail inspired by the Armed Forces Radio
Service's 122 air shows.
Wilkerson's
usual closing line was "Good morning to some of you, good afternoon to
some more of you, and to the rest of you — good night."
Text:
Wikipedia.
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